Feb. 28, 2007
Athens, Ga.–Monika Dancevic outlasted Christy Striplin in a third-set tiebreaker at No. 2 singles to clinch 12th-ranked Georgia’s 5-2 victory over No. 6 Georgia Tech Wednesday at the Dan Magill Tennis Center in Athens.
Georgia (7-0) jumped to a 3-1 lead but the three remaining singles matches were all still in doubt when Dancevic won the tiebreaker, 7-5, for the 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory over the 27th-ranked Striplin as Tech (8-3) fell to the Bulldogs for the first time in three years.
“Hats off to Georgia. They played a good match and went ever single match today,” said Tech head coach Bryan Shelton. “I felt that was the difference. We played not to lose in some matches and they played to win.”
Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the match by sweeping the three doubles fights, but Tech’s Amanda McDowell evened the score with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Naokoa Ueshima at No. 6 singles, the sixth straight singles victory for the Yellow Jacket freshman.
The Bulldogs regained the advantage with Yvette Hyndman’s 6-4, 6-3 victory over 18th-ranked Kirsten Flower at No. 3 singles. At the No. 4 flight, Tech’s Alison Silverio won the first set 6-4 before Darya Ivanov rallied for 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to put Georgia ahead 3-1.
In a battle of highly-ranked players at No. 1 singles, Tech’s No. 10-ranked Kristi Miller won the first set, 6-4, but No. 11 Natalie Frazier won a marathon tiebreaker in set two, 11-9. With the overall outcome already decided, Frazier won a super tiebreaker, 10-5, for the third set.
Tech freshman Amanda Craddock then defeated Kelley Hyndman, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, at No. 5 singles, improving her singles record to 6-1 in dual match play.
“We’ve got to quickly turn this around and get ready for Saturday at Clemson – our first ACC match and a huge rival,” said Shelton. “We’ve got another great opportunity this week.”
Tech takes on the 13th-ranked Tigers Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Clemson, S.C.
#12 GEORGIA 5, #6 GEORGIA TECH 2Doubles:1. Yvette Hyndman/Darya Ivanov (GA) d. Kristi Miller/Whitney McCray (GT), 8-32. Monika Dancevic/Kelley Hyndman (GA) d. Alison Silverio/Taryn Rudman (GT), 9-8 (3)3. Natalie Frazier/Naoko Ueshima (GA) d. Kirsten Flower/Amanda Craddock (GT), 8-4Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 1. Natalie Frazier (GA) d. Kristi Miller (GT), 4-6, 7-6 (9), 10-5 2. *Monika Dancevic (GA) d. Christy Striplin (GT), 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) 3. Yvette Hyndman (GA) d. Kirsten Flower (GT), 6-4, 6-3 4. Darya Ivanov (GA) d. Alison Silverio (GT), 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 5. Amanda Craddock (GT) d. Kelley Hyndman (GA), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 6. Amanda McDowell (GT) d. NaokoUeshmia (GA), 6-2, 6-2 Order of finish: 6, 3, 4, 2, 1, 5 * Clinching match
Records: Georgia Tech, 8-3, ranked No. 6 Georgia, 7-0, ranked No. 12
